Aug 9, 2025: Minnesota Twins beat Kansas City Royals 9-4 as Luke Keaschall stays hot; Wallner homers, Clemens goes deep, and Joe Ryan handles Seth Lugo.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
August baseball is supposed to be about finding your form, and the Twins are starting to look the part. Minnesota throttled Kansas City 9-4 at Target Field on Saturday, stacking quality at-bats against Seth Lugo while Joe Ryan quietly handled business. Matt Wallner opened the scoring with a first-inning blast, Kody Clemens added a two-run shot, Ryan Jeffers sprayed three hits, and the rookie who won’t cool off—Luke Keaschall—drove in two more as the Twins notched their third straight win.
Luke Keaschall has six hits and eight RBIs in three games since coming off the IL.
Minnesota didn’t wait around. Wallner’s early homer set the tone, and the Twins kept the line moving with traffic and timely knocks against Royals starter Seth Lugo. They put up multiple runs in three of the first four innings, with Jeffers lacing three hits and driving in two. Clemens’ 13th of the season—an opposite-field-friendly two-run shot—landed in the fourth, and by then the Twins were well on their way.
What stands out is how many different lanes the offense used. Power showed up (Wallner, Clemens), contact played (Keaschall, Jeffers), and they made Lugo work. When this lineup layers approaches like that, it looks like a group that can win series in August—and September.
Ryan didn’t need to be flashy—he just needed to be Ryan. Five innings, one run, no walks. He pounded the zone, kept barrels off the sweet spot, and let the offense set the pace. It’s the exact kind of start you want in the middle game of a series: control the heartbeat, hand it off, pocket the W. He’s now 11-5, and the zero in the walk column underscores how sharp the command was.
If you’re looking for a nightly reason the lineup feels longer, it’s Luke Keaschall. Back from a broken forearm on August 5, the rookie has been a spark plug: two more singles and two RBIs tonight give him six hits and eight RBIs in three games since returning. He’s covering velocity, using the middle of the field, and he’s not missing cookies.
Beyond the box score, his presence relaxes the order. With Keaschall putting constant pressure on pitchers in the lower half, the Jeffers/Clemens/Wallner tier gets more pitches to hit. That’s how crooked numbers happen.
Kody Clemens’ role can be matchup-dependent, but days like this are why he’s valuable. His 13th homer, a two-run shot, stretched the lead and flipped the leverage of the game. When the Twins get secondary power like this behind their core bats, they don’t just score—they separate.
The Twins placed Christian Vázquez on the 10-day injured list Friday (Aug. 8) and recalled Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A St. Paul. Jeffers responded Saturday with exactly what you want from your everyday catcher: three hits, two RBIs, and a firm grip on the strike zone. Pereda’s recall stabilizes depth and should help manage innings, but make no mistake—this is Jeffers’ run to command, and he’s answering.
Short-term, expect a little more DH protection and day-game juggling to keep Jeffers fresh while Vázquez is out.
Before first pitch, the club announced Matt Wallner was placed on the paternity list and outfielder Carson McCusker was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul. The Twins’ social team even chimed in with a congrats post about 90 minutes before game time. Wallner has 16 homers with a .218 average and a .496 slugging percentage across 98 games, and his absence will be felt—especially the way he’s been impacting the ball.
McCusker’s recall gives Rocco Baldelli another right-handed bat and corner outfield option for the next few days. Look for him to get a pocket of at-bats while Wallner is away.
Top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez (No. 2 in the system; MLB No. 40) is still on the Triple-A St. Paul injured list with a right oblique strain, originally placed July 18. Timetables on obliques can be tricky, and the team has not set a return date. With the big club suddenly humming, stashing another potential impact bat for September would be a luxury—but only when he’s ready.
The Twins are starting to stack the kind of wins that travel, and they’re doing it with depth. Ryan set the tone, the offense layered its damage, and a rookie made the lineup feel longer. Short-term, watch for McCusker to grab a look while Wallner is on paternity leave and for Jeffers to keep anchoring the catching corps with Vázquez shelved. The series continues Sunday at Target Field; carry over the patient, power-packed at-bats, and a four-game winning streak is there for the taking.
